1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to apparatus for dispersing baled mulching material, and more particularly, to a self-loading apparatus for dispersing large bales of material.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of construction projects, especially surface mine reclamation, require extensive soil movement. As a result, large areas of soil are void of vegetation and subject to the elements of nature, such as wind and rain, which can cause significant erosion. To aid in reclaiming this land, i.e., maintaining the surface integrity and beautifying the landscape, various methods and apparatus have been developed to cover the exposed land surface with seed and a mulching material, such as straw, hay or bark-wood fiber. The effects of such mulching materials are to impede water run-off from rainfall, to provide a protective barrier against winds, and to retain moisture in the ground which promotes growth of vegetation.
Apparatus which break up and scatter mulching material are relatively common in the prior art. However, such devices have been limited in the size of bales of mulching material which they will accept. Typically, the bales are either cylindrical, being no larger than about 2' in diameter and 3' long, or rectangular, no larger than about 18".times.24" at the end and 3' long.
In recent years, it has become increasingly popular to bind material in bales in the shape of relatively large cylinders, commonly referred to as round bales. These large, round bales, which may be up to 6' in diameter, 6' long and 2200 pounds in weight, first gained acceptance in farming applications, such as baling hay for livestock. Use of this type of bale means that fewer bales are scattered widely throughout the fields, and that bales may be left in the field for cattle, since there is less bale spoilage. This is so because, typically, when a bale exits the baling machine it rolls to the ground and comes to rest on its circumference, which provides a rounded surface at the top of the bale, facilitating water run-off and thus keeping the hay dryer and less prone to spoilage.
Large rectangular bales, generally 4'.times.4'.times.8', are also becoming more widely used. This bale configuration is used primarily in the Western states where the baled material must frequently be transported great distances. The rectangular shape allows a greater amount of material to be loaded more easily onto a truck bed.
Since the use of large bales has been primarily limited to agricultural applications, prior art devices which handle and disperse such bales have been directed to the same market. Generally, such structures merely break up the bale for easier feeding of the livestock and distribute the material rather slowly and unevenly (clumped), often incorporating a conveyor to facilitate transfer of the material to a feed lot or windrow in the field. In addition, since these machines only spread one or a very few bales at a time, they generally do not incorporate means for loading and, in fact, are frequently difficult to load.
In summary, prior art structures which break up large bales are only equipped for very limited distribution of baled material, and are totally unsuited for use in land reclamation where it is necessary to break up the material and scatter it evenly and quickly over a large area. In addition, since reclamation efforts generally require the spreading of a large amount of mulching material; a dispersing machine must be easily loaded and, for large bales, it is preferably self-loading.